• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.392-397
• /
• 2007

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.39 no.8
• /
• pp.657-665
• /
• 1995

The oxidation of various benzyl ethers and benzyl alkyl ethers to benzoates has been studied in two-phase system of $CH_3CO_2Et$ and aqueous NaOCl (6.6 mol eq.). The oxidant N-oxo-4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidium bromide (N-oxoammonium salt) was prepared in situ and recycled by addition of 4-methoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (0.03 mol eq., 4-methoxy-TEMPO), co-catalyst KBr (0.03mol eq.) and second oxidant NaOCl. Thus the catalytic amount of 4-methoxy-TEMPO was used. An adjustment of the pH value of below 8.0 was also required for this reaction with 2.5 hr of reaction time at 0∼5$^{\circ}C$. Under these conditions benzyl ethers were oxidized to benzoates. The selectivity of oxidation of benzyl alkyl ethers is dependent on the acidity of hydrogen and steric effect of alkyl group.